RANDBLOGGING - Part II

On this guy Reardon: if I was the owner of a mega-million-dollar steel company, I think I could arrange to have my shrew of a wife and various other family members...uh...relocated. Right. That's what I mean.

Seriously, this is a guy so focused he thinks memories are an unnecessary indulgence, but he's still trying to get along with these people. Granted, we're getting this from his perspective. Maybe we'd understand why they are the way they are if we were getting more of their side.

So far the story seems to be breaking people into two groups: those who are exceptionally qualified to succeed but are so focused on their goals they can't see the bigger picture (Reardon, Dagny Taggart), and those who can't compete with the first group so they look to other avenues - government interference, for example (Joe Taggart, Orrin Boyle, etc.).

I both respect and loathe both groups for different reasons.

I bet I can make a UN vs. US metaphor out of it.

The bar scene: lots of infuriating things said about private property being a "trusteeship held for the benefit of society." Somehow, though, I don't think the people at the table actually believe that - I think they're doing the political thing: if it was to their advantage to support private property rights, they would. We'll see if I'm right.

DON'T TELL ME HOW IT ENDS.


Part I